Speak Now
by Kayliem1999
Summary: It's thirteen years after 'Team Austin' broke up. No one has spoken since the fall out without fighting given the angry note everything was left on. But, they all find themselves back in Miami for one rockstar's wedding. Feelings are still boiling under the surface and unspoken words are uttered. Can forgotten love prevail?Based on the song by Taylor Swift. Eventual Auslly.
1. Chapter 1: Invitations

**Hey, this is going to be another attempt of mine at an Austin and Ally fic. It is based on the song Speak Now by Taylor Swift. I hope yoU enjoy. **

**I own nothing!**

It was just another long day at work; nothing out of the ordinary. Ally dragged her bare feet toward the mailbox -she ditched the blistering heels -and jabbed her key into the slot. With her bag slung over her shoulder, she walked up the stairs to her apartment flipping carelessly through the envelopes. Ally dug into her purse and pulled out her keys. The door swung open creaking the entire way, once inside she shut the door with a slam.  
Ally's apartment was small, after all she was living off of a teacher's salary. Ally had become a music teacher never really overcoming her crippling stage fright. Trish, well, no one was really sure what she did, but they all knew she was successful. Dez went to film school and ended up winning several academy awards for his work. Austin, well, Ally didn't like to think about him. He was still glowing in the spotlight with the seemingly perfect life. Every so often she would read about her former partner in the tabloids or hear about him on the news. She had lost count of how many Grammys he had won, how many new albums he dropped, the singles that became overnight chart toppers, the never ending list of girlfriends. She had heard somewhere that he was back with Kira and that he quote on quote, was ready to settle down, become more serious about the future.  
Ally had heard that before; that's what he had said before Team Austin went on to supposed better things. But, that was years ago, it shouldn't still be fresh in the brunette's mind. The bitter sting should've worn off.  
The envelopes in her hand were seemingly all bills burying her deeper and deeper into debt. She figured that was something her old friends never experienced. Ally tossed the bills on the counter, promising to look at them later.  
Ally flung her bag over the back of the second hand maroon leather arm chair in the living room on the way to her bedroom. Carelessly, she tossed her white blouse and black skirt into the overflowing dirty clothes hamper by the door. She threw her hair into a messy bun on top of her head and dig through he drawers to find something comfortable. Deciding on a pair of jeans and an old sweatshirt that was several sizes too big - she wasn't sure which ex-boyfriend it had been snagged from over the years - she pulled the clothes over her slender body.  
She padded across the hardwood floors back to her kitchen. Ally pulled open the fridge door and searched for something to eat. Sighing, she grabbed a plastic Tupperware container filled halfway with week old tuna-noodle casserole one of her teacher friends had made for her. She removed the lid and popped it into the microwave.  
Grabbing the remote, Ally settled down in the armchair with her dinner. She clicked on the TV and took a bite of the steaming food. Not bad, she decided, for leftover comfort food.  
Disappointed to find nothing on, Ally decided on a Zalien rerun. As a teenager, she had been dragged to see all of those movies by Dez and then forced to wait in line when they came out on DVD.  
As the credits at the end of the movie began rolling, Ally heard a soft knock on the door. Sighing, Ally rose to her feet and walked over to the door. She looked in the peephole only to be rewarded with the sight of her neighbor Lindie. Ally begrudgingly opened the door -she didn't know why, but the woman irritated her to no end. Maybe it was her nasally voice or her inability to acknowledge boundaries.  
"Hello, Alison" she greeted her thick southern accent evident in ever syllable.  
Or maybe it was the fact that she refused to call her anything other than her full name.  
"Hi," Ally smiled dryly. "What can I do for you?"  
"Oh, right. I was getting my mail this evening and I got some of your mail by mistake."  
Ally took the envelopes extended to her and uttered a labored 'thank you' before shutting the door. The first envelope was a car payment bill. The second a ridiculous advertisement for some realtor company. And the last one surprised Ally, it was addressed to 'Miss Alison Marie Dawson' she looked at the return address, but she didn't recognize the name. Caron Starr. Curiosity overcame her and she dropped the other two envelopes on the counter. Ally quickly tore into the pristine looking envelope and pulled out the card stock contents. Ally's breath hitched in her throat as the gears turned into place. This was an invitation. Austin Moon?Kira Starr? Wedding?She was invited? Whose idiotic idea was that? It had been years since Ally had spoken to either of them and it hadn't been voluntarily or pleasant. In fact, it was awkward a suffocating.  
What else could you expect after the way the left things when Austin went to LA? She remembered a seventeen year old version of herself screaming at him and him doing the same. Yeah, for several years after that, she still received birthday and Christmas cards in the mail and she sent them as well. But those became fewer and fewer until all contact was broken.  
Ally was surprised he remembered her. It had been ten years. No, it couldn't have been that long, could it? But, it was. It had been ten years since she had seen him at Dez's release party that she had -for some reason she didn't know - been invited to. She suspected going into it that it was some cruel practical joke.  
Gingerly, Ally held the piece of mail away from her body. She studied it like it was foreign and could at any moment self-destruct. Timidly, she flipped if open.  
Ally scoffed when she saw 'Austin M. Moon.' He had somehow managed to convince his mother to leave out his very, well, feminine middle name. Reluctantly, she picked up her cell phone and scrolled through the contacts. Mimi Moon. That was a number she hasn't called in awhile. And honestly, she never expected she would ever call it again. Despite that fact, she hadn't removed it from her contacts. Maybe it was because Mimi was like a mother to her even after Austin disowned her. Mimi had been at her parents' funeral when Ally was nineteen. And then her grandmother's less than a year later followed close behind by her Papa - the last resemblance of family Ally  
had. She had helped Ally sell the house to pay for college. Ally wasn't sure why, but Mimi had always been around when she was needed no matter what the circumstance.  
"Hello?" The familiar voice on the other end said.  
"Hey, Mimi, it's Ally. I was calling about the -um- wedding."  
"I'm guessing you got the invitation," Mimi said into the phone, bitterness dripping heavily into her tone. Ally was very aware of the fact Mimi couldn't stand Kira Starr. According to Mimi, she was spoiled rotten and to accustomed to getting what she wanted the second she wanted it. Although, the older woman claimed she did not hate her -ladies did not hate anyone - she just would prefer her son marry someone else.  
"Yeah, I did,"Ally said.  
"Look, I'm not expecting you to go, I just thought you should be invited. He doesn't know you were sent an invitation. Caron and I were responsible for the guest list-."  
"Mimi," Ally interrupted. "I'll go."  
"Okay, sweetie. Just return the invitation in the mail."

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**What did you think? You know the drill, this is where I beg you to review and most of you actually won't. **

**Love,**

**Kaylie **


	2. Chapter 2: Congratulations

**So, I got a lot more love than I was expecting for the first chapter, so thank you to anyone who is now following/favoriting my fic. A gigantic hug to anyone who reviewed. This fic was kind of a 'hey, this could be interesting' ideas and I typed up the first six chapters on my iPod in about two weeks. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you enjoyed the first one -if not more! **

**I don't own Austin and Ally. I don't own ****_Speak Now _****by Taylor Swift. **

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Ally's red heels clomped against the freshly waxed floor of the Miami airport. Her large black suitcase rolled behind her and she had a knock off purse draped over her shoulder. She decided to go alone, not like she had much of a choice anyway. She felt every male eye on her, but she had become accustomed to it. Ally was aware of the curves she had inherited after she finally hit puberty and despite the unwanted attention, she gave up on trying to mask her body under baggy, shapeless clothes. Currently, she had on a pair of form fitting skinny jeans and a nice flowery top that outlined every curve. Her style hadn't changed much since she was a teenager. The tops had gotten tighter, the dresses shorter, heels higher and jeans skinnier. But she still wore the colored jeans and the flowery dresses.

It had been a month since she got the invitation in the mail. Somehow, she had managed to get on the plane and come to Miami. She decided that she hadn't been thinking when she said she was coming. Unfortunately, it was too late to turn back now, she

was already in Miami. And Mimi had already seen her. She was standing in the waiting area holding a sign with Ally's name plastered onto it with pink letters and covered in glitter. There was a huge smile on her face and she was squealing 'Ally' happily.

Sighing, Ally walked toward Mimi a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. The older woman wrapped her arms around Ally in a bone-crushing hug. What felt like an eternity later, Mimi let go and Ally could breath again.

"Sweetheart, it's so great to see you," Mimi smiled in her motherly way.

"You too, Mimi," Ally replied.

They kept up the small talk as Mimi lead Ally to the car. After the luggage was loaded, Ally climbed in the passenger big SUV somehow managed to maneuver through the contested parking lot. After Mimi protesting, Ally relented and agreed to stay in the Moon household.

"I insist," Mimi persisted. "You are family, Ally. You must stay in the guest room."

The guest rooms; there were two. One upstairs next to Austin's room that Ally prayed she would not be given. And then there was the other one in the basement next to the screening room that often hosted horror movie marathons.

"Which one?" Ally asked.

"I would put you next to the screening room, but my sister and her husband have already taken claim to it."

"So the one upstairs," Ally sighed leaning her head against the window. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Mimi switch on the radio.

"Here's an old song from an artist that started out in this lovely city, if you can guess who it is you might just win tickets to his upcoming concert," the DJ's voice boomed into the car.

The guitar solo began and Ally immediately recognized it. The lyrics to 'You Can Come to Me' echoed through the speakers. She recognized it the second the guitar solo started. It had been years since she had heard herself on the radio and -not that she would ever admit it- she kind of missed the thrill. But after her Team Austin died, she stopped working on her music career. At least, publicly. She still wrote songs, but no one heard them other than her neighbors who would yell at her to 'shut up' or 'stuff the songs up her ass.'

"Can you please change the station," Ally asked when Austin's voice filled the car. Over the years, Ally had heard his new songs, that didn't bother her. No, hearing her own songs bit at her and stung. Made her want to crawl in a hole a cry.

"Can you please turn that off," Ally asked.

Mimi did quickly uttering incoherent apologies for the rest of the ride. When they pulled into the driveway, there were already a few cars littered on the side if the street.

"Is he here yet?" Ally asked helping Mimi pull her bags out of the trunk.

"Not yet, his plane gets in at 4:30 and he'll be here for the party at six."

"Party?" Ally asked. "I only brought two dresses and they're for the rehearsal dinner and the wedding."

"That's why I'm taking you shopping, my treat," Mimi smiled.

Ally agreed knowing she wouldn't be able to get out of it. So somehow, she was sitting in the car again with the regal looking blond woman. Mimi ranted about everything Ally had missed since the last time she visited three years earlier -only to check on Sonic Boom that was seemingly draining her waning bank account.

"Here we are,"Mimi said pulling into the parking lot of a boutique Ally had never been able to afford to shop at. She had been in there once with Trish and Austin before Prom. He had paid for the dress after ignoring Ally's protests.

"What are we doing here?" Ally asked.

"Buying you something to wear tonight," Mimi said as if it were nothing. As if the cheapest thing in there didn't cost as much as as Ally's rent.

"Mimi, we can just go to the mall and buy something in one of those shops."

"Not good enough for a pretty girl like you."

With that said, they climbed out of the car and walked toward the shop. And silently, Ally stood as Mimi held one of a kind dresses up against her small frame.

"Why don't you try on these," Mimi said handing her several dresses.

Ally nodded and walked toward the dressing room with the older woman in tow. After a lot of coaxing, Ally stepped out into the sitting area where Mimi sat. She had on a pastel dress with matching flowers printed into the fabric. The dress clung to Ally's body outlining everything in the right places.

"Beautiful," Mimi smiled clapping her hands. "Go try on the others."

Every other dress earned a 'beautiful' or 'gorgeous' as well. Three hours later, they exited the store both holding bags. Mimi had, in the end, bought two dresses and a pair of nude colored heels for Ally. Seven hundred dollars had been spent and the brunette practically choked when she heard how much money had been spent. Mimi had waved it off claiming 'it was the least she could do' with a wide smile on her face.

As they pulled into the garage, Ally noticed another car parked outside the house. Laughing, the two walked in the front door obviously interrupting some 'interesting' story being told in the living room. There Ally saw him, just lounging on the couch acting as cool as ever with his arm draped over Kira's shoulder. He may have grown up since she had last seen him, but she would've recognized the shaggy blonde locks anywhere.

Her laughter stopped the second she saw him and it seemed as if they were having some kind of silent stare down. Tension was evident in the room as Ally's demeanor turned stony and blank.

"Hi,"she said softly.

Austin's brown eyes continued to burn wholes in her as they raked over her body. The silence that had settled into the room was thick and suffocating. It seemed as if that everyone else in the room had averted their attention to the long-overdue reunion.

"Sup," he said in his cool-guy tone that he had mastered over the years.

"Congratulations," she choked out looking down at her feet as she walked away.

After she was gone, the happy chattering restarted. Silently she climbed the stairs and closed the door quickly behind her. She pressed her back against the heavy door and slid to the ground pulling her legs to her chest.

"What have I gotten myself into?" She whispered resting her head on her knees.

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What did you think? I'm so sorry it too so long to upload theirs chapter, I've been on family minute family vacation all week. School starts on Monday so updates will become less frequent until Winter Break. Like always, reviews are nice. Love you lots!

Forever,

Kaylie 3


	3. Chapter 3: Reunions

Ally had lost count of how many times the front door creaked open since she had retreated to the guest room. Eventually, she stopped pacing the hardwood floor and sat down on her bed. The dress hanging off of the closet door was taunting her as she sat half naked trying to avoid what she knew was coming.  
Ally turned away from the door and walked over to the full length mirror. She gave her looked at her body with scrutiny biassing what she saw. According to herself, she wasn't pretty or anything special. She had never believe she was beautiful despite what Austin had always told her.  
Sighing, she yanked the simple black dress off of the hanger and unzipped the back. Gently she pulled it over her body not once tearing her eyes away from the mirror. Quickly, Ally brushes out her hair and applied makeup -something she had been introduced to during college. She smacked her lips together and looked into the mirror sideways. Perfect. Or as perfect as she could be.  
Ally pulled the door open and crept down the hallway. Her footfalls were silent against the wooden stairs as she padded down the stairs. The second her foot hit the creaky step, Ally cringed. Every eye in the room turned toward her and she tried her best to hide the blush growing on her face.  
"Ally," Mimi called.  
"Hi," Ally said plastering on a smile.  
Collective 'hellos' filled the room as she stood her feet seemingly glued to the stairs. The attention that had been cast on her was quickly averted when the front door flew open and Austin strode in with Kira clinging to his arm. Ally sprinted down the stairs -as fast as she could in five inch red pumps- and ran into the kitchen. She wove through the people and sighed when she was standing in front of the counter that had been converted into a bar.  
She reached for a random wine bottle and poured the foul smelling liquid into a wine glass. She had never been much of a drinker and she had gotten drunk two times in her thirty years of life, all having been the result of one blond boy. The first being a party the night of graduation that Austin had dragged her to. the last being Dez's party where she folded under the pressure and downed god knows how many drinks.  
"That was quite the entrance you made," a deep voice said from behind Ally.  
Startled, she turned around and faced the red-headed man. It took a second, but she recognized him.  
"Dez?" She chuckled. "Oh my god."  
The tall freckled man wrapped his arms around her laughing as well. She pulled away and looked him over. His style had matured slightly as was expected by a man of his social stature. The crazy patterned jeans had been replaced by a pair of dark skinny jeans, in the place of a graphic tee was a light blue button up shirt, he had on a thin black tie and to top it off was a light gray blazer.  
"How've you been, Ally?" Dez asked.  
"Dealing,"Ally smiled. "Congrats, by the way, on your nominee for the academy awards."  
"Thanks."Dez pulled a beer out of the cooler and popped the top off. He took a few drags on his drink. "So, what are you up to these days, still writing music?"  
"Yeah, I am, actually. Not that anyone hears it aside from my students."  
"Students?"  
"Yeah, I teach music at an elementary school in Jacksonville."  
"That's cool," Dez says.  
Unintentionally, Ally's eyes wander and some how finds him. He's talking to someone in the living room with his arm wrapped around his fiancée's shoulders. She can't help but watch him, she can't help the envy flooding her body as he leans in and presses his lips to Kira's temple.  
Dez follows Ally's gaze and catches onto his former best friend. He too had been surprised when he got an invitation in the mail. He was even more shocked when Austin called him for the first time in almost three years to ask him to be the best man. Unsure of how he could say no to the offer, he agreed. However, nothing surprised him more than seeing Ally come down the stairs.  
"When was the last time you talked to him?" Dez asked removing the brunette from her thoughts.  
"Your release party ten years ago," she said not removing her eyes.  
"You know, I always thought it would be you he would marry someday," Dez said.  
"Well," Ally replied turning to face Dez. "Things change, people change."  
"Have you seen Trish yet?" Dez asked changing the subject.  
"No, I haven't really seen her since my twenty-fifth birthday."  
Ally remembered that night grudgingly. Something snapped inside of her. Although she wasn't sure what it was exactly, it had to do with the legendary Austin Moon. Lacking any other ideas, she called Trish who was already on the first flight to Jacksonville by the time the phone call ended. The two went to some club and Ally soberly fell for some man's dirty trick. She woke up the next morning in the back of a taxi butt naked and full of regret.  
"I'll go find her," Dez said leaving Ally alone in the throngs of people she barely knew.  
By now, Ally had three large glasses of wine buzzing in her system and tons of bad ideas were whirling in her fogged mind. She sat her now empty glass on the counter and started to walk away when someone tapped on her shoulder. Slowly, she turned around and looked into the face of Jimmy Starr.  
"Hello, ," he said. Ally still resented him for breaking up Team Austin. Yeah, she didn't love the fact that he dropped her from her label after Austin transferred to LA, but she could've learned to live with it.  
"Hi,"she bit back bitterly.  
"You know you never gave me the chance to explain why I relieved you from your contract," Jimmy said following the retreating woman.  
" , that was thirteen years ago. I could care less about it now."  
"I dropped you because I knew there were other labels willing to sign you." Jimmy continued to Ally's dismay.  
"Clearly, you can't take a hint. And I didn't get signed, I'm a music teacher,"Ally said stopping abruptly.  
"What?"  
"I tried for awhile after you dropped me, but after my parents died, I gave up and went to college."  
Ally marched away leaving Jimmy behind without a second-thought. She didn't notice Austin watching her. He had seen her pushing through the crowds of people with Jimmy following her. She looked nice, he admit that. The black dress she had on was simple and shorter than anything he had ever seen her wear. It was low cut revealing a lot of cleavage and it hugged her body showing off every curve. The black pumps Austin was sure were killing her feet added a few inches to her ever petite body. Fine,she looked better than nice. Just seeing her dressed like that made him have problems an almost married man should not be having when in the presence of a woman who was not the bride. Austin watched as she stopped suddenly and glared at his boss. Her mouth was moving quickly and her brow was furrowing together. When she finished yelling at him, she left him standing there speechless. Clearly whatever she said to him caught the man off guard. Austin had to fight the urge to chase after her. Instead, he watched her retreat to the deck out back. Like a hawk, he watched the door waiting for her to re-enter the house.

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**I'm so sorry it has taken me this log to update! I started school on Monday and it has been pretty hectic around here. Hopefully this chapter makes up for the lack of activity on my part. **

**I don't own anything!**


	4. Chapter 4: Intertwined

**Sorry I haven't updated in awhile, really no excuse there. **

**I own nothing!**

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They found her on the old deck porch swing in the backyard, Trish and Dez. With each rock, the old springs creaked loudly, but in a way it was familiar. Her head was cradled in her hands and the distinct trace of tears was streaked on her face. Long locks of chocolatey hair fell into her face attempting to hide the mess she was. The makeup she had applied so hastily was now smeared and smudged all over her face. Ally Dawson was a mess; just like in high school.

"What was I thinking when I came back?" Ally whimpered. Her voice was raspy giving the final clue to the fact that she actually was crying or had been.

They didn't answer, there wasn't a good response to the question. Somehow –God knew how –they managed to coax her back inside. Austin watched them closely as the made their way through the crowd being 'social.' But, Ally snuck away again when she thought no one was watching. Only, he saw her. He was barely quenching the desire to chase after her and leave behind this whole mess he had buried himself in.

"I'm gonna go get a drink," he whispered to Kira pressing his lips against her temple.

When no one was watching, he pulled an old flannel blanket out of the hall closet. The mid-February air hit him hard as he closed the front door quietly behind him. Austin had forgotten how cold it got sometimes in the hometown he had managed to avoid returning to for several years.

He was going out on a limb here walking down the old boardwalk. There was no guarantee this is where she had fled to, but he hoped he would find her. He did. She was swinging on the old swing set bare toes digging into the sand. Shoes resting by her feet, teeth chattering, cheeks rosy from the cold air, hair being brushed lightly around in the wind and doe eyes glued to the waves crashing onto the sand in front of her.

"What do you want, Austin?" She asked. Tears were shimmering in the moonlight as they slid down her frost-bitten cheeks.

"Though you might want this," he said handing her the blanket. Austin sat in the swing nest to her eyes trained on the surf as well.

"Thanks," she replied bitterly as she draped the blanket over her shoulder.

"What were you and Jimmy talking about?" He asked breaking through the awkward silence that had settled over them like a scratchy blanket.

"Nothing that matters anymore," Ally said blankly watching the waves.

"Obviously it matters 'cause you ran off," Austin said looking over at her.

"Are you some kind of weird stalker?" Ally chuckled looking at him.

"No," he sputtered. "I just noticed a pretty girl in the corner screaming at my boss and then I realized that she was you." Somehow even after she embarrassed him, he still managed to play it all off so cooly. It baffled Ally, not that she would ever admit it.

Ally scoffed. "Sure."

"What don't you believe; that I'm not a stalker or that you aren't beautiful?"

"Never mind. How's it going in LA? Obviously you're doing pretty well without me."

"Alls, don't do that."

"Do what? You said is yourself when you left that it was time to move onto better things. You guys did I didn't."

"You have to be doing something music related."

"I teach elementary school music," Ally deadpanned.

"If it makes you feel better, I regret leaving Miami."

"Why?"  
"Because it's different without 'Team Austin.' No one cares what I believe in anymore, it's all about the money. I don't enjoy it anymore."

"You seem like you enjoy it when I see you on TV and most of the time in the tabloids."

"There's always one that gets a bad shot."

"Yeah," Ally smiled. "Do you remember that time they got a picture of the two of us hammered in the backseat-."

Ally stopped chuckling and stopped. They did unmentionable things in the backseat of his car that night. Come to think of it, it wasn't even his car nor hers. What she could remember of that night was hazy given that it was junior prom, her first time drunk –not her first time drinking –and she slept with Austin that night.

"You know, some people still care about what you believe in," Ally stated.

Austin smiled looking down at his hands. "Yeah, but I was a total jerk to you and ditched you when I thought something better came along."

"You were a teenage boy then and the crap I yelled at you didn't help anything either."

"I deserved it and you didn't mean any of it."

"But that's the thing, I don't know whether or not I meant what I said."

"Ally, although I deserve it, you don't hate me. You _can't_ hate anyone."

"We should probably get back, after all you're the guest of honor."

"I think a wedding is more for the girl," Austin said taking Ally's outstretched and standing up. They walked hand in hand –maybe they noticed, but they probably didn't –up the shore line the long way to Austin's house. They didn't noticed their intertwined fingers until they were standing at the back door –coming in the front would be too suspicious –and both retracted their hands blushing profusely. When Trish asked her later why she was blushing, Ally would blame it on the cold winter air. Austin would brush it off as nothing when Kira would ask him later. She wouldn't believe him.

* * *

Ally woke up thrashing in the guest bed, tangled up in the sheets and sweating despite the cold air floating around in her room. It was the same nightmare, like always. Her parents in the car crash, though she wasn't there, she read the police report. She was at the funeral, she saw their bodies before they were cleaned up –by accident. The blood stained her mind.

Tears overflowed her eyes silently as her ragged gasping leveled out. She was thirty, an adult, and she still had these nightmares. Ally wrapped herself up in the thick blanket around her body and crept down the hallway. She tiptoed past Mimi and Mike's room and held her breath as her feet pattered on the carpet outside Austin's room. Ally stepped around the creaky step on her way down the stairs and pulled the door open slowly.

She curled up on the old swing pulling the hoodie of her sweat shirt tightly around her head. The steady rock back and forth lulled Ally back to sleep almost right away.

Austin –who had heard her creep past his old bedroom door –looked outside his window watching her. She looked peaceful, like she did in high school, as she drifted off to sleep. It was staggering to find out that she didn't know just how beautiful she was. It seemed as if her self-esteem had decreased since he had left. God, it was his fault, wasn't it? What was he thinking when he left? That was the thing though, he wasn't thinking. Austin Moon was being another stupid teenage boy who got caught in the fame and lost sight of what really mattered. He gave up a girlfriend who loved him and two friends on top of that. If he had just stayed, he would probably be marrying Ally on Friday, not Kira.

His wedding. It was a publicity stunt. Yeah, Kira was nice…. most of the time, but the marriage was arranged by Jimmy and Austin's newest manager whose name he could not remember.  
One last time, he looked down at the sleeping brunette on the porch swing and took in everything about her. Her curly brown hair, her smudged makeup, purple plaid pajama pants, mixed-matched socks –something she still hadn't grown out of –and a gray zip-up hoodie with Mariano High School's logo on it.

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**Well... what did you think? I really appreciate reviews -thought I might put that out there just in case you were wondering. My little sister deleted all the chapters I had saved on my I-pod and I didn't have any idea where to start over from. So, I really did have an excuse. **

**Love you all so much,**

**Kaylie**


	5. Chapter 5: Secrets

**I own nothing!**

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"Ally, sweetie," Mimi whispered shaking the sleeping brunette on the porch. "Honey, wake up."

Yawning, Ally blinked her eyes open as she stretched out on the swing.

"Goodness, did you sleep out here all night?" Mimi asked.

"Yeah," Ally replied sitting up. "I couldn't sleep so I came down here. I hadn't intended on falling asleep though."

"You could catch a cold, it's freezing out here," Mimi shivered.

"I'm fine," Ally said picking up the blanket and wrapping it around her shoulders. She dragged her socked feet in the door and toward the kitchen with Mimi following close behind. "Really." She wasn't sure why she had to add that last part. It wasn't like Mimi was questioning her verbally.

"You can have whatever you want for breakfast," Mimi said. "I have to go to the hotel to make sure everything is in order for the rehearsal dinner tonight."

"Okay," Ally smiled stopping halfway up the stairs. 'Thanks."

* * *

She dragged herself down the stairs clad in a pair of skinny jeans, a black lacy tank top, combat boots and a plaid shirt. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail going over her shoulder and she had applied some makeup.

"Tired?" Austin asked startling her. He was digging around in the fridge presumably for something to eat.

"Yeah," she said walking over to the pantry. "Pancakes sound good?"

Austin's eyes lit up like a small kid's on Christmas at the mention of pancakes and he nodded his head like a dog. "I'll take that as a yes," she chuckled grabbing the mix and putting it on the counter. Austin got the mixing bowl and the griddle off the top shelf and sat at the island watching her make breakfast.

"You know you could help me," she said dropping some circles of batter onto the griddle.

"How?"

"I don't know, I could think of something."

Sighing, Austin stood up and walked over to the other side of the counter to look over her shoulder. The finished pancakes were plopped onto two plates and the two devoured them quickly.

"Those were amazing," Austin complimented.

"I made you pancakes _a lot_ for you when I was teenager, I know how you like them," Ally chuckled.

Austin rose to his feet grabbing both his and Ally's plates and placing them in the sink. He watched as she wiped down the counter and put the ingredients away. She was so familiar with the kitchen it amazed him. It was like she had never been removed from the picture. Now, Kira, she was nice, but she could not navigate her way in a kitchen to save her life. Nor could she make pancakes –not that she would ever dare touch them due to their carb count.

"Kira doesn't make me pancake."

"The monster," Ally gasped chuckling.

"No, I'm serious, she doesn't like pancakes."

"What do you see in someone like that?" Ally blurted out without thinking. Realizing what she had said, she blushed clamping her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry."

* * *

Ally stepped into the hotel shivering slightly. Her curly hair bounced with every step and her makeup was lightly done in a hurry. The rehearsal was about to start and she found a seat in the back of the room. She smoothed out the purple dress draped over her body and sat down quietly. Being the only one left at the house by the time she finished getting ready, she had to take the bus. She earned quite a few dirty looks when people saw the knee length dress that was skin tight and five inch nude-toned heels on her feet.

She could hear the wedding planner barking orders to the wedding party. Austin stood in the front of the alter holding both of Kira's hands halfheartedly reciting the vows she was sure someone had written for him. Mimi was scurrying around in her Prada heels looking flustered and nervous.

"Hey," Trish said sitting in the chair next to her.

Ally smiled at her fiddling with the hem of her dress. She was distracted; her mind was wondering. What if, tomorrow, she stood up? What if for the first time in her life, she stood up for herself? What if she mustered the nerve to make a scene?

"Ally, what are you thinking?"

"Nothing important," she lied.

Ally Dawson had never even considered being that girl that stood up to do something like that. Seriously, these were other people's lives she would be messing with. But, for the first time she could think of herself, right? It wasn't illegal to be selfish sometimes.

* * *

At the dinner, Ally sat with what she presumed were the estranged relatives. There was no conversation and no eye contact what-so-ever. Utterly uncomfortable, she pushed the vegetables and chicken around her plate entirely uninterested and about ready to make a mad-dash for the exit.

Not that anyone would notice her. The celebrities and the socially acceptable guests were crowed around the table at the head of the room. Sipping champagne and giggling about God knows what. Kira and Austin were practically sitting on each other and Mimi was off at the far end of the table conversing with one of the girls Ally recognized as a bridesmaid.

Sighing, Ally pushed her chair back and grabbed her clutch. She walked over to the open bar and sat on a stool with a humph.

"Give me something strong," she said to the bartender.

"Rough night?" He asked filling a shot glass with vodka.

"More like a rough decade," Ally muttered grabbing the glass and knocking it back. She scrunched her face up as the drink burned down her throat. "Hit me again."

He poured another shot and watched her knock that back as well.

"What happened?"  
"I got ditched by my boyfriend for LA when I was seventeen, got dropped by my record label less than a week later, my parents died, sold their house to pay for college, watched all my old friends get famous, got an invitation to a wedding a month ago and here I am. A socially unacceptable guest at my ex's wedding."

"That's pretty bad."

"Yeah," Ally sighed looking over at Austin. "I guess I just got unlucky."

After knocking back another shot and dropping some bills on the counter, Ally stumbled back to her table and flopped into her seat. Her plate was gone and in its place was a small plate with chocolate raspberry cake on it. She stared at it for a second before taking a bite.

"You okay?" Trish asked sitting down in the chair next to her. Whoever had been sitting there before must've followed Ally's example and gone to the bar.

"Yeah," Ally lied not meeting Trish's eyes. "Just fine, why?"

"Because, I watched you knock back three shots at the bar."

"And?"

"You have never, _ever _been the type of girl that drank anything stronger than grape juice unless something was really bugging you."

"Trish, I'm at my ex's wedding rehearsal dinner in my hometown that I have avoided for three years."

"Well, when you say it like that, it sounds terrible."

"It is terrible."

"Why?"

"Because he's supposed to marry me," she murmured dragging a bite of cake around the plate in front of her.

"You still love him?" Trish asked incredulously.

Ally looked up at her, the answer in her eyes and heat spreading across her cheeks.

"You do love him!" Trish exclaimed.

"Keep it down," Ally hissed.

"You can't let him marry Kira," Trish stated, her smile fading.

"Yeah, I can. She is so much better for him," Ally said standing up.

Trish grabbed her wrist. "No, she's not."

Ally turned to face her old best friend tears falling down her cheeks.

"He has to because I'm not good enough for him," she choked on the words as the came out of her mouth shakily.

And with that, she was gone.

* * *

**What did you think? Please review! I know it has been awhile since I last updated, but I've been really busy. **

**Love,**

**Kaylie**


	6. Chapter 6: Suffocating

**So here is another chapter and fair warning, it's going to be a cliff hanger. Like usual, I own nothing.**

* * *

Ally walked down the steps heels making a hallow thud with every step. Mimi and Austin were waiting at the bottom of the stairs for her. She watched blushing as his draw dropped when he saw what she had on. A knee length blue dress with silver polka-dots all over. Small buttons going up from her waist to the top of the sweetheart neck line, obviously strapless because after all it was the _new_ Ally, blue five inch pumps that must've been killing her, dark makeup that outlined every feature, loose curls resting on her shoulder, a pearl bracelet on her wrist she borrowed from Mimi and a feather clip holding her bangs out of her eyes.

"You look nice, Ally," Mimi smiled handing her a jacket. "But, we need to be going."

Mimi ushered the two well-dressed grown people out the door like they were seventeen again. It felt like they _were _seventeen again, leaving for Prom. Only this time, the camera flash they were bombarded with was from the paparazzi that had been camped out on the Moons' front lawn all night.

They had eaten up the fact that Austin's not only ex-songwriter, but his ex-girlfriend was on the guest list and in the same house as the husband-to-be. Ally had driven around with Dez all of that morning buying out all the news stands of the tabloids with headlines related to the wedding –so, every last one. Most of the headlines had her name mentioned it and she had forgotten how that felt. It had been six years since her name had been in a tabloid and it had been one of those 'where are they now' stories that gossip magazines printed when they didn't have a good story for that month.

Hands blocking their faces, they let the bodyguards lead them to the car parked in the driveway. They squeezed into the back seat with Ally squished in the middle. And there was one thought in her mind as Austin's hot breath danced across her skin; he couldn't marry someone else.

Only problem, she couldn't stand in front of a group of total strangers –sprinkled with a few celebrities –and shout that he couldn't get married. That would be totally humiliating. But Austin, he just couldn't marry her. She wasn't right for him. Austin was sweet and she was just a cold-hearted fame seeking brat who would probably marry anyone with a title. After all, Austin had admitted to her that is was a publicity stunt drawn out by Jimmy.

The car pulled into the hotel parking lot overflowing with screaming fans. Ally directed her gaze to the ground letting the body guard wrap his bulky arms around her shoulders. But, the screaming wasn't only Austin's name, it was hers to.

"Ally," voices shouted and her head shot up.

Her eyes skimmed over the crowd amazed that people actually remembered her. There were girls who couldn't have been older than sixteen just beaming at her with a fire in their eyes.

"They love you," Austin whispered in her ear and she smile up at him a smile just as broad as the girls being contained by security guards.

They pushed their way through the revolving doors at the entrance to the hotel and Ally took a breath preparing herself for what was about to happen.

* * *

Ally saw some people she used to be friends with standing in the lobby of the hotel, but she doubts they would recognize her. They were mostly all famous and probably didn't even remember who Ally Dawson was. Silently, she sneaks past them all head facing the ground. She ignored them and the coordinated group gathered in the corner whispering with their plastic noses in the air. Ally assumed they were Kira's family because she didn't recognize any of them.

She walked down the hallway noticing the door slightly ajar. There was an angry voice escaping the confines of the room and Ally peeked through the crack. There she saw Kira screaming at a blonde bridesmaid that looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"Do you know how big this day is? Do you know who I'm marrying?" Kira shouted.

Ally wanted to help the poor girl but wasn't about to suffer from Kira's wrath too.

"I'm sorry," the girl stuttered.

Ally turned on her heel hearing Kira shout something along the lines of 'sorry doesn't cut it.' She rolled her eyes walking back toward the lobby. Luckily for her, Ally saw Trish had her phone out and was sitting in one of those hotel couches that looked dreadfully uncomfortable.

"Hey," Ally faked a smile. This was impossible and the people crowded around were suffocating her with the close proximity.

"Hey," Trish replied putting her phone in the clutch next to her.

Ally could hear people around her greeting each other in over cheerful voices as everyone started filing into the venue. Her and Trish followed suit sitting down in a row in the middle of the room. And they sat for what felt like an eternity exchanging small talk.

* * *

Austin and the groomsmen stood in front of the church and Ally fiddled with the hem of her skirt with that thought in her mind. His eyes met hers and he smiled at her a with his movie-star grin.

The organ echoed drearily through the room and everyone shut up rising to their feet. Ally couldn't deny it, Kira looked really pretty. Her dress swooshed around her legs with every step and Ally knows that her dress probably cost as much as she paid for rent in a year. But, Austin isn't watching his bride. No, his eyes are plastered on Ally who is watching the woman floating past the throngs of guests with a look of pain in her eyes.

Kira reached the alter and Austin took her hands. The guest sat down and Ally did too. She could see it, standing up and shouting telling them to wait. Stopping Austin from making the biggest mistake of his life and then they could live happily ever after.

The ceremony dragged on and on. Ally didn't pay much attention to it, the closer it came to when the preacher would ask for any objections the more Ally began to fidget. She watched Austin looking for any sign that he didn't want to do this. There was nothing but a blank expression on his face which made everything so much worse.

And, then there it was. The preacher said those words, the words she didn't realize how badly she wanted to hear.

"Speak now or forever hold your peace," his voice boomed through out the church.

* * *

**So, what did you think? I would greatly appriciate some reviews. I apologize for t cliff hanger. I've kind of developed a bad habit of doing cliff hangers, especially in my other stor ****Saving The Widow****. I've gotten several pissed off reviews aout that. Anyway, please leave a nice review in my inbox and I might jus update sooner than normal 'cause I'm on quarter-break right now. **

**Love,**

**Kaylie**


	7. Chapter 7: Confessions

**I've worked really hard on this and I hope it came out the way you wanted. Kind of a plot twist in the sense that it doesn't go the way the song does. I hope you like it.**

**I own nothing!**

* * *

No one does anything, just sits there waiting for that awkward moment to pass. Ally sits there fidgeting with her dress extremely uncomfortable. The preacher opens his mouth to continue on with the ceremony and that's when Ally rises to her feet ready to stop it all. Instead, someone beats her to it. Austin. He pulls away from Kira.

"I can't," he shouts. His words covered Ally's quiet plea to stop. And the world stops because it's just them standing there smiling at each other. They can't see the way people are watching them. They can't hear the hushed words dripping with disbelief. And they don't notice Kira having a conniption because that would require looking away from each other and they never wanted to do that as long as they lived. All they can see is each other and that's all that matters.

It was sort of ironic what they were doing right now because Austin could've sworn watching a movie like this in high school with Ally. He also remembered making fun of how cliché it was and never letting Ally ever live it down. What an idiot he had been then; this kind of thing felt amazing when you were actually living it. Now, it wasn't ridiculous because he was thirsting for it.

"I can't," he repeated turning to face Kira. "I can't marry someone I don't love, especially if I'm still in love with someone else. I'm sorry. I'm _really_ sorry."

What else could you say when you were leaving someone at the alter? Austin didn't know and he couldn't think of anything with his heart pounding in his ears. Austin Moon had never ever been nervous in his entire life, but now he was. Hands clammy, cheeks on fire and sweating profusely Austin turned to face Ally.

He took a step toward the stairs and paused for a second before jumping down the carpeted steps. Austin walked past all the flashing cameras, shocked faces and angry glares –mostly from Kira's family –never once looking away from that girl in the middle row who was just watching him with a faded smile. He stopped in front of the row Ally was in and smiled at her. His hand was held out in front of her and her eyes flickered toward it the expression on her face totally blank. And then she placed her small hand in his big one smiling up at him. Austin shook their hands meeting her gaze.

"Let's get out of here," Austin whispered. She let him pull her out of her row and up the aisle. They ran out of the doors laughing, the echoes of applause following them. Somewhere mixed in there, Kira's outraged shriek was mixed in there getting lost in the happy noises that pissed her off even more.

Austin and Ally pushed their way through the lobby and through the double doors. Never once letting go of each other's hands they weaved through the crowds of squealing fans. Rain sprinkled on their skin as they splashed through the growing puddles in the pavement. Austin opened the car door for her and closed it before running around the car to get in his own side of the car.

He started the car switching the heat on high noticing Ally shivering out of the corner of his eye. Quickly, he pulls off his drenched jacket and drapes it over her shoulders well aware that it can't be helping her much. The gesture's nice though. He looks her over marveling at just how amazing she was. Her hair was soaked, her dress was sticking to her every curve, her makeup had pretty much been washed away by the rain, somehow she had already managed to kick off her heels and she was curled up in the passenger seat. She was perfect.

Ally leaned in and kissed him. It was one of those hungry kissed with teeth bumping and lip biting. Where hands get tangled in hair and your clothes get all disheveled. That leaves your lips rubbed raw and you gasping for air. One that after you start, you want more.

They pulled away fumbling with their seatbelts. He backed the car out of the lot and they fell into a comfortable silence. Ally cut through the blanket of silence once they got on the highway.

"Where are we going," Ally asked.

"Anywhere you want to go," Austin replied squeezing her hand.

That's where they went, where Ally had wanted to go for a really long time.

* * *

Ally woke up the next morning blinking in the sunlight streaming in through the window. She was wrapped up in Austin's muscular arms and enveloped in his hear. Both of them were still completely bare after what happened the night before. The thick bedspread was pulled up covering her body and she was sharing a pillow with Austin.

Austin's eyes flutter open and he smiled down at her.

"Good morning," Austin yawned pulling Ally closer.

She looked around taking in the room. It was Austin's old room and not much had changed since she had last been here. There was still the awful wallpaper and the peeling music note stickers all over the room. However, all the instruments were gone, the dresser wasn't spilling over with clothes, the closet actually closed, the carpet was actually visible and only a few of the posters were still on the wall. There was still the Rolling Stones poser over his bed and the framed picture of 'Team Austin' smiling. But, it had that unnatural hallow feeling. That one where you know someone used to live here, but they don't anymore. She imagined that's what the practice room felt like too at Sonic Boom. Because, without Austin it was all missing something.

Involuntarily, she snuggled closer to him terrified that she might lose him again.

"Don't leave me," she whispered.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Austin replied kissing her head.

That's when the door swung open and Mimi was standing in the doorway mouth open. Ally squirmed under the covers burying her head in Austin's chest.

"Mom," Austin whined.

"Sorry," Mimi replied blushing. And was that a smile tugging at her lips? "Breakfast will be ready in five minutes and when you get the chance, you might want to read this."

Mimi tossed him the newspaper and left closing the door behind her.

"Holy shit," Austin gasped looking at the headline.

_'Austin Moon leaves fiancée at the alter for old songwriter.'_

"That didn't take long," Ally commented taking the paper out of his hands.

Austin's phone chirped on the side table and he picked it up. Thirty-seven missed calls and one hundred unread text messages from Jimmy. Make that one hundred and one. Seventy-six missed calls from Kira and over a thousand text messages that he assumed were all hateful. He didn't even dare check the 3,000 emails in his inbox.

"I've pissed a lot of people off," Austin muttered.

"_We _pissed them off," Ally reminded sitting up. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips and pulled back smiling at him. He smiled back at her pulling her close and resting his chin on her head. She listened to his heartbeat flutter because that was familiar.

"What now," Ally sighed. Neither of them had thought of what happened next. He would have to eventually read the texts and face the people he left at that wedding. Eventually, Ally would have to go back to Jacksonville and he would have to go back on tour. What would become of them then? "I mean, I have students to go back to and you have the rest of your tour."

"I could go with you," Austin smiled. "The of us living in your tiny apartment like a normal couple."

"Or, I could go with you," Ally thought aloud. She never did get to tour with Austin.

"That sounds nice," he smiled burying his nose in her hair and inhaling the smell that was strictly Ally. "I guess it's decided, you're gonna live with me on my tour bus."

* * *

**Well, there it is. There will be a few more chapters after this, but the story is kind of reaching that point. Please review! I really like to hear what you think of my fic. **

**Love,**

**Kaylie**


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